Ultrasonic flaw detector device



July 7 1959 l P. REN'AUT. 2,893,239

' uLTRAsoNIc FLAw DETECTOR DEVICE Filed Deo. 24. 1954 '4 sheets-sheet' 1 July 7, 1959 P. RENAUT ULTRASONIC FLAW DETECTOR DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1954 40AM. KENMV July 7,1959 y V l RENAL@` 2,893,239

ULTRASONIC FLAW DETECTOR DEICE Filed Dec. 24. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 7, 1959 P. RENAUT 2,893,239

I ULTRAsoNIc ELAw DETECTOR DEVICE Filed Dec. 24, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent nice ULTRASONIC FLAW DETECTOR DEVICE Paul Renaut, Saint-Maur, France, assignor to' Staatl. Realisations Ultrasoniques, Saint-Maur, France, a corporation Applicflli December 24, 1954,l Serial N0. 477,447 Claims-priority, application France February 4, 1954 6 Claims; (Cl. 73`67.7)

The invention relatestoy apparatus for inspectingmetal objects, particularly rails, by means of ultrasonic vibrations. Said apparatus generally comprise: means for generating recurrent electric pulses; 'a piezo-electric transducer for converting said electric pulses into ultrasonic pulses applied to an external surface of the test piece or test body, the same transducer generally receiving the backreections causedby any reecting surface into the piece, either internal defects, or another internal surface of thev piece; and means for displayingY the' electrical echoes corresponding to ysaid back reflections in order to indicate the positions of the ilaWs.

A difficulty arises when the various types of defects encountered must be distinguished; in certain cases, a skilled operator may distinguish between thei various defects, from a careful observationof the shapes of the various corresponding displayed echoes,- for instance on the' Screenof a cathode-ray. tube. But this examination istime consuming, diicult, and, in a number of cases, hardly possible to perforrn'vvith the ultrasonic inspectionfapparatus ofi prior art. It isquite' necessary however, in certain'applications, 4to distinguish quickly and in a` dependable? mannerbetween the various types` of defects=encounteredin a metal piece: for instancein a rail aw detector, and morefspec'ifically in the continuous testingof a rail;

t Therefore,- itV is a general object'of the invention to provide van ultrasonic inspection apparatus comprising means Yfor immediately distinguishing between various retlectiirg surfaces in the testpiece'.

'A't trio're specicobject of the invention isto provide an ultrasonic rail aw detector device, comprisingmeans for immediately distinguishing, during continuous testingtofthe rail, the-internalangularly inclined ssures, from-other t'yp'es` of reecting surfaces in the'rail, constituting much lessserious defects.

I n' anzulfras'onievinspection apparatus of the type com prising af pulse'generator; a plurality of' electro-acoustic transducers for transmitting ptrlses into the test piece and receiving back reections thereof,said pulses having a carrier ultra-acoustic frequency f and -a low recurrent frequency Rian'dfrnea'ns fol-:indicating electrical signals corresponding to saidtbackf reilections, there is provided, accordingl totle invention, electronic means for convertingrrsaid pulses into' electrical signals comprising at least two' ofthe? fello'wing-distinct types:

Fz'rstvlyp'.-Electrical positive*"pips having a-recurrent frequneyfF, andl corresponding tothe' ultrasonic pulses, after detection thereof.

Second"typ-Electrical negative pips, having a recurrent frequency?, and corresponding tov the ultrasonic pulses, after detection thereof.

Third typefElectrical pulses, having-al carrierV frequency f and arecurrentfrequencyF, and corresponding to the' lundetected 'ultrasonic pulses.

According to the-invention said indicating means dis; tin-wishesbetweenthese'three typjes of electrical signals.

According/to aparticular embodiment of the`inven- 2,893,239 Patented July 7,

2. tion, said indicating means compriseafcathodery tube',r at least two of said three types of electrical signal-sV being-1 fed to the plates of Vvertical deflection, Iand being vdisplayed on the screen under the form of at least two of? the following signals: a detected positive pip, a detectednegative pip, and an undetected pulse.

According to a modification,l two types ofl electricalA signals, corresponding to positivev and negative detected' pulses, are fed lto the'control electrode of said cathode' ray tube', and are displayed, under theform of aibrighte" spot and a darker spot on' the horizontal trace scan on the screen, and the last type of electrical signals-,=.c`orre sponding to undetected pulses, isl fed tothe" plates"l of vertical deflection and is displayed'on thefscree'nundei the form of an undetected pip.

0f course the invention is not limited to the er'ribovzli-V ments illustrated in particular. Many other' methods o`f=y displaying the electrical signals at the output of the' electronic receivers may beVv devised by those skilled in the art; for instance, insteadof a cathode ray tube, the indicating means may comprise means, such Ias'lo'ud speakers,.for converting said electrical signals into various different audible sounds which the operatoris able to distinguish from each other.

Further objects and advantages of this inventionwill become apparent in the following description' thereof, and in the accompanyingV drawings, in which:

Figure l is illustrative of one embodiment of the inV` vention constituting a rail aw detector device;

Fig. 2 is avmodie'd example of a supersonc'rail flaw detectordevice-according to the invention; f

Figs. 2a to 2i arev illustrative of the operation of` said device; and

Fig. 3 shows a modified embodiment, in whichthere is used three types of impulses;

Referring now particularly to Fig. l, P isi a pulse generator generating supersonic pulses; t Said generator is connected to a plurality ofl electroacoustic transducers t1; t2 tn, transmitting ultrasonic pulses to reecting surfaces m, n', o' inside the test piece K and receiving reilected vibrations therefrom. R1, R2` Rnareelectronic receivers having inputs respectivelyconnectedV to said transducers andcomprising amplifyingand; dem'cd-vr ulating units for converting the rellected vibrationsint electrical signalsV of dilerent types at least comprising two ofv the three above mentioned respective types. I1, I2 In are lindicating rneans'respectively connected to lthe -output of electronic receivers R1` Rnadapted to discriminate said types of electrical signals; The transducers are orientedY at-diierent anglesl to, andare immersed'in a liquid contained in,` a tank L. Prismatic blocks p1, p2, are inserted between inclined bottom Afaces of the transducers t1; t2, respectively, and the' bottom of the tank L, for cooperating in the transmission of pul'sesinto the test piece, and receptionV of pulses from a reilecting surface therein, in desired'directions. It is obvious that, if the container L is moved alongrthesurl face of the test piece K, the differently oriented ultrasonic beams transmitted to said piece by. the-transducers may impinge on internal flaws, and pick upl or not the corresponding reilected vibrations according to the orientation of said aws, Aas shown in Fig. 1and illustrated in more detail in the particular examples of Figs. 2er-2z'. 'Ihus the relative magnitude of the corresponding different displayed `signals and the time relation'between the occurrences thereof are an indication of the-location and of other characteristics of flaws present in the test member; It will be understood that 4the term location means distance data for the aw inv relation? to the actual or temporary position of the transducers on the test member. 'Ihe other characteristics that are indicated may be the type-of theaw as for instance a hole,A a ssure, a porosity, further the orientation or inclination of a fissure within the test piece, and also in many cases the size or length of the flaw considered in the direction of an imaginary line connecting Vthe transducers.

.In Fig. 2 in which the same reference symbols relate to the same elements as in Fig. l, P is a pulse generator, and t1t2, t3 yare three electro-acoustic transducers, which may take the form of piezo-electric elements such as quartz crystals or ceramic elements. The -three transducers transmit ultrasonic pulses into the rail K, the paths of said supersonic pulses as illustrated in Figs. 2at- 2i and ofthe echoes reflected on the outer face of the rail being indicated in Fig. 2 as an f, bf, cf, respectively.. -According to Fig. 2, the transducers t1 and t2 are said to-be freciprocal, that is: each of said transducers is receiving` the back reflections corresponding to the pulses transmitted by the other, whereas t3 is its own reciprocal transducer. Transducers t1, t2 on the one hand, and t3 on the other hand, are respectively connected to electronic receivers, R1 and R3. The outputs of the receivers R1 and R3 are connected to the plates of vertical detiection Y, Y of cathode ray tube I.

R1 and ,R3 comprise detecting and amplifying units, in which said pulses are converted into electrical signals of the first two types referred to above: detected positive and negative pips, respectively, the third type of electrical4 signal (undetected pulse) not being required for searching defects, in the particular embodiment now being discussed. Said pips are fed to the plates of verticalv deflection YY', of a cathode ray tube.

Fig. 2a shows the electrical pips displayed on the screen of the cathode ray tube, -when no defect is encountered in the tested rail, the paths of ultrasonic pulses being shown on the Vright-hand part of the iigure. E corresponds to the pulse simultaneously transmitted by the three transducers into the rail, R to the echo received by t3, after transmission along the path bfd; Rv corresponds to the echo received by t1, after transmission along the path cfa, and by t2, lafter transmission along the path afc. The horizontal distances ER and ER', measured along the horizontal trace scan on the screen, are proportional to the distances bf and af, respectively, said distances measured inside the rail.

The apparatus of Fig. 2 is adapted to be moved continuously along the rail, the contact surfaces abc of the three respective transducer arrangements sliding on the surface of the rail (the bottom of the tank L passing the pulses without -adverse etect and therefore being disregarded) ducer arrangements has not been shown, and various embodiments may be designed without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

In Fig. 2b, the transducer t1 is riding near the vertical of the horizontal fissure g, which masks more or less completely the beams ag and cfg, depending upon its size.

Therefore, the echo R' has its amplitude more or less reduced, or even completely disappears, if the defect completely stops said beams, as is the case in the figure.

In Fig. 2c the transducer t3 passes over the horizontal fissure g, which masks more or less completely the beam bfg, and therefore, reduces the amplitude of the echo R. An echo r is appearing, corresponding to the beam bgb.

1 In Fig. 2d, the transducer t1 is riding near an inclined fissure reflecting back to said transducer an echo r'. Again echo R is suppressed by the interruption of beam cfg. The operation of the apparatus in Fig. 2e

be understood without further description.`

In Fig. 2f, t3 is riding near a slightly inclined fissure g,.nearly horizontal, and there is no echo r in this case. Moreover the defect g partially masks .the beam afa, whereby only a small echo R' is appearing.

I!) FgS-l 2g .and 2h the defect yfI is a splinter hole, and

The mechanical support of the transthe operation ofthe apparatus will be understood without further description.

In Fig. 2i, N is a bundle of porosities, which successively masks the echoes R and R, Without giving any echo of the r or r' types. ,y

It may be seen, from the above description, that the operator may easily identify the type of defect encountered in the rail and approximately determine its` orientation and its location by a mere glance at the screen. of the cathode ray tube, each type of defect being char acterized by a speciiic configuration of the displayed signals, or by specific changes in said configuration when the transducers are slid on the surface ofthe rail.` T he number of possible configurations of the displayed signals is much greater thanthe number of distinct electrical signals which can be distinguished by the electronic units R1, and R2. For instance, in the above-described embodiment, this last number is equal to two. t

In Figs. 2oz-2i six diiierent configurations of the disj' played signals are illustrated. As can be seen at least tive different types of iiaws'in the test member can be ascertained by the operator by these illustrations.

In Fig. 3, the arrangement of the pulse generator P and the three transducers t1, t2, t3 is the same as in Fig. 2 but the electronic receivers comprise three amplitiersy A1, A2, A3 respectively connected at the output of the', transducers t1, t2, t3. The output of amplifier A3 is. directly connected to the plates of vertical deection YY of cathode ray tube I, whereas amplifiers A1 and A2 are connected to the control electrode W of the cathode ray tube, through demodulators D1 and D2, respectively. As'v shown, the output of demodula'tors D1 and D2 are positive and negative pips, respectively, whereas the output of ampliiier A2 consists of undemodulated impulses.

In this arrangement, it isobvious that the undemodulated pulses are displayed in the usual way on the screen of the cathode ray tube through vertical deflection of. its electron beam, whereas the vpositive and negative pips, when present, control the brightness of the horizontal trace scan on the screen: said brightness has a. medium value, as determined by properly biasing the con-v trol electrode W, in the absence of the pips; the positive pips, for instance, produce a brighter spot, and the nega. tive pips a darker spot on said horizontal trace scan. Obviously, in the embodiment of Fig. 3, the number ofj possible congurations of the displayed signals is larger than in Fig. 2, this advantage being obtained with the. same number of transducers, but through the addition of new electronic units. Y i

Although the present .inventionv has been discussed above in relation to ultrasonic detector units for testing; metal objects, it will be understood that it is not meant.

to be limited to this particular application, and moreover,

it will be appreciated that modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In an apparatus for the non-destructive tlaw de-` tection of test bodies having a front and a back surface, in combination, at least one pair of ultrasonic generating and pick-up members each having an input and an out-f put and being adapted to be mounted adjacent said front surface of the test body; energizing means connected to said input of said ultrasonic generating and pick-up members, respectively, for energizing the same and to cause the same to generate directional ultrasonic impulses and transmit said impulses from each oneY of said generating and pick-up members along ay predetermined path, respectively, through at least a portion of the test body, in such a manner that said impulses transmitted from one of said members are reected from an inside portion of said back surface of the test body into the other one of said generating and pick-up members and are reflected away from said other member by iiaws that may be lodetector meansffeonnected ttrSaidfOutput of said generatingandpickeup :members,.respectively, for. detecting.V said re flected impulses and: for generating.at: least two different oflsignals: corresponding respectively: to, said refleeted impulses generated by said two ultrasonic `gen erating and'pick-upvr members; and means connected to saliddeteetor-mean'sfor indicating at least said two different typr f1siignals=,..the relative magnitudeof said signals and' the time relation. o'fr occurrences thereofV being an` indication'. ofi. tl'rel location and othercharacteristics. ofv flawspresenty ina-thetest body.`

2; In ani apparatus,y fork themen-destructive tlaw defeet-ion 'of' test; bodies; having` a` front andf aback surfzice, in` combination, at least one: pair of ultrasonic generatlng a'd-pick-up members each having aninputland an output. andlbeing adapted to be ymounted'adjacent saidifront surf'ace of the testl body,l said test member;v onA onehand,

an' saidpairf off.- generating. andtpick-up members-on the otller:hand;v being.,movable relatively to each other; `energiin'gfn'i'ea'ns` connected: to said input ofsaid ultrasonic generatigffand pickup r members, respectively;y for Venergizin'g`= the same and to cause-theev same to generate direc tional ultrasonic impulses and transmit said impulses from each one-of-'saidtgenera'tin'g and=pickup1mernbers along a predeterminedpath, respectively, through at leasta portion of the te'st'body,` in sucl a manner that said impulses transmitted fromV onelofsaid-members are reected from an inside portion of said back surface of the test body intoV the-other oneoff'said generating and pickf'up memberstand are reflected away Vfrom said `other nieinber by-illaws that may b'erlofcatedwithin. said-test body along said predetermined path; detector means connected to said output of said generating and pick-up members, respectively, for detecting said reected impulses and for generating at least two different types of signals corresponding respectively to said reflected impulses generated by said two ultrasonic generating and pick-up members; and cathode ray tube means connected to said detector means and having a time axis for visually displaying at least said two different types of signals, the relative magnitude of said signals and the time relation of occurrences thereof being an indication of the location and other characteristics of flaws present in the test body.

3. In an apparatus for the non-destructive aw detection of test bodies having a front and a back surface, in combination, at least one pair of ultrasonic generating and pick-up members each having an input and an output and being adapted to be mounted adjacent said front surface of the test body, said test member, on one hand, and said pair of generating and pick-up members, on the other hand, being movable relatively to each other; energizing means connected to said input of said ultrasonic generating and pick-up members, respectively, for energizing the same and to cause the same to generate directional ultrasonic impulses and transmit said impulses from each one of said generating and pick-up members along a predetermined path, respectively, through at least a portion of the test body, in such a manner that said impulses transmitted from one of said members are reected from an inside portion of said back surface of the test body into the other one of said generating and pick-up members and are reflected away from said other member by flaws that may be located within said test body along said predetermined path; first detecting means connected to the output of one of said generating and pick-up members for detecting said reflected impulses corresponding to the impulses transmitted from the other one of said generating and pick-up members and for producing at least one positive signal for each of said reected pulses; second detecting means connected to the output of the other one of said generating and pick-up members for detecting said reflected impulses corresponding to the impulses transmitted from said one of said generating and pick-up members and for producing at least one.4 negative signalfor each ofsaid-lastfmentioned reflected impulses; and means,connecte d.toV sia'idsdetectiugt I neans for indicating said positiveandnegative signals, the. relative magnitude of said signals: and .the time; relationof occurrences. thereof beingA an indicationk of the location and other characteristics of'flaws-.present in the test body. n Y i 4. In anvapparatus. for. the. non-destriuctive flaw detection of test bodies, having al irontand` a-back surface,1. in combinatiomat leastfone pair. cnf-'ultrasonic generating.v and pick-up members eachlhaving an inputy and an output: and being adapted to be mountedadjacent said'frontfsur.- face of Athetest body, said testbody, ononehand, and said. pairof generating .and pick-upmembers, ontlie other hand, being r movable. relatively to. eachother; venergizing means connected to said input vofisaid. ultrasonic generat-l ingand pickup members, respectively, .forenergiingthe sameA and to. causeY the same to generate directionalfultra sonicrimpulses and transmit said` impulses from each one. ofsaid generatingiadpick-up members alonga prede.-` terminedpath, respectively, throiight-least a portion ofY the 'test body, in suchl aA manner that saidimpulses transmitted fiom. one. of said. members arek reflected '.-fi'omvv an inside portion of saidV back .surface offthetest body into the other. one ofi'said. generatingwand pick-up members and are reflected away 1from saidsother member by; ilaws that may be located withinsaidtest bodyv along said predetermined. path; .first .detecting means connectedV to the` output offene. of said generating andpick-up: members for detecting said.re ectedimpulses corresponding-to the impulses transmitted fromthe other one ofsaidgenerating,I and prick-up members andforproducihgat least .one positive signal for each of said reflected impulses; second detecting means connected to the output of the other one of said generating and pick-up members for detecting said reflected impulses corresponding to the impulses transmitted from said one of said generating and pick-up members and for producing at least one negative signal for each of said last mentioned reflected impulses; and cathode ray tube means connected to said detecting means and having a time axis for visually displaying said positive and negative signals, the relative magnitude of said signals and the time relation of occurrences thereof being an indication of the location and other characteristics of aws present in the test body.

5. An apparatus for the non-destructive aw detection of test bodies having a front and a back surface, comprismg, in combination, a group of transducers including at least a rst, a second, and a third ultrasonic transducer each having an input and an output and being mounted adjacent said front surface of the test body, said test body and said group of transducers being movable relatively to each other; energizing means connected to said input of each of said ultrasonic transducers for simultaneously energizing the same and to cause the same to generate directional ultrasonic impulses and transmit said impulses from each one of said transducers along a predetermined path, respectively, through at least a portion of the test body in such a manner that said impulses respectively transmitted by said transducers are reflected from an inside portion of said back surface of the test body into a predetermined one of said transducers, respectively, and are detlected by any iiaws that may be located Within said test body along said predetermined path, said first and second transducers being constructed and arranged with respect to each other and said inside portion of said back surface in such a manner that the impulses transmitted from said first transducer and reflected from said inside portion of said back surface of the test body impinge on said second transducer, and vice-versa, said third transducer being arranged with respect to said portion of said back surface in such manner that the impulses transmitted thereby and reiiected from said inside portion of said back surface impinge on said third transducer, the transducer upon which reected impulses impinge thereby generating electrical impulses corresponding to said reflected impulses; receiving means connected-to said outputs of said transducers, respectively, Iand responsive to said generated electrical impulses for respectively producing at least two different types of signals corresponding respectively to the reccted impulses received by at least two of said three transducers; and means connected to said receiving means for indicating at least said two different types of signals, the relative magnitude of said signals and the time relation of occurrences thereof being an indication of the location and other characteristics of aws present in the test body.- l s l 6.` An apparatus for the non-destructive ilaw detection of test bodies having a' front and a back surface, comprising,r'in combination, a group of transducers including at least a first,- a second, and a third ultrasonic transducer eachhaving an Vinputv and an outputrand being mounted adjacent said front surface Aof the test body, said test body and said: group of transducers being movable relatively to each other; energizing means lconnected to said input of each of said ultrasonic transducers for simultaneously energizing the same and to cause the same to generate directional ultrasonic impulses and transmit said impulses from each one of said transducers along a predetermined path, respectively, through at least a portion of the test body in such a manner that said impulses respectively transmitted by said transducers are reflected from an inside portion of said back surface of the test body into a predetermined one of said transducers, respectively, and are deilected by any flaws that may be located within said test bodyv along said predetermined path, said rst and second transducers being constructed and arranged with respect to each other and said inside portion of said baclr;r surface in such a manner that the impulses transmittedl from said first transducer'and reflected fromvsaid inside,

portion of said back surface of the test body-impinge on said second transducer, and'vice-versa, said thirdtransf, ducer being arranged with respect to said portion? of said; back surface in such manner that the impulses trans-. mitted thereby and reflected from said inside portion of; said back surface `impinge on said thirdvtransducer, the.

transducers upon which reected impulses impinge thereby generating electrical impulses corresponding to said reected impulses; receiving means connected to the outputs" of said transducers, respectively, and responsive to said generated electrical impulses for respectively ,producing at least two dilerent types of signals correspondingv re spectively to the reilected impulses received by at least-A two of said three transducers; and a cathode ray tubeconnected to said receiving means and having a time axis connected to said receiving means for visually indicating at least said two different types of signals, the relative. magnitude of said signals and the time relation of occur-A rences -thereof being an indication of the location and other characteristics of flaws present in the test body.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

